1. FIELD OF INVENTION
This invention relates to pet foods and, in particular, to soft, moist pet foods.
2. BRIEF STATEMENT OF THE PRIOR ART
Pet foods are commonly cooked and extruded mixtures of various food sources including meat meals and other byproducts of the meat, poultry and fish industries. These products have been gelled into solids by various techniques. One technique, widely practiced, is to employ a substantial quantity of farinaceous or amylaceous ingredient, typically a flour or ground cereal product which supplies starch that is gelled by the cooking process. Gelatin has also been used to solidify food products, however, the comparatively high cost of this gelling agent has resulted in attempts to use inexpensive substitutes such as the use of algin extracts as discussed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,862,336.
Unfortunately, pets do not favor cereal products and, in particular, cooked starchy products. The pet food formulators have consequently directed most of their efforts towards attempts to impart a meat-like appearance to these cooked cereal products to satisfy the purchaser and have attempted to include sufficient quantities of meat byproducts and flavoring agents to reach an acceptable palatability of the product to pets.
Some of the pet foods have included highly water soluble ingredients, typically sugars, to reduce the water activity of the product and thereby achieve a product that is resistant to bacterial growth. Additionally, antimycotic agents have been included to inhibit yeast and mold growth on the product. Generally, these products are also formulated with a mildly acidic pH value, again to inhibit bacterial action and ensure stability.